In the latest Rainbow Six Siege community update, the dev team shared their insights behind important upcoming changes scheduled for the mid-season update of Year 11, Season 1. Topics included improving Ranked map rotation, balancing Operators, helping new players, and strengthening player protection.
Based on player feedback, Ranked map rotation is getting a major shift. Instead of removing maps mid-season, five maps will be added, expanding the pool to 17. With Ranked 3.0, map bans will follow a new structure:
2 maps from the competitive pool
1 map from a showcased pool
2 maps from a seasonal pool
Map rotations will also be influenced by player behavior. Maps that are frequently banned will appear less often, while popular ones will show up more.
Eight operators are being adjusted to improve fairness and gameplay experience.
Key highlights:
Smoke gets his Deployable Shield back
Rauora receives D.O.M. Panel Launcher, D.O.M. Panel, and resource updates
Jackal gains new vertical tracking potential
Other Operators like Glaz, Clash, Frost, Thunderbird and Grim are also receiving refinement changes. Read the full details on these Operator balancing updates in the Y11S1.2 Designer's Notes.
The Dokkaebi Remaster is a refocus. She’s always been a powerful Operator and we’re keeping it that way. Her changes aim to make her abilities more targeted while ensuring she will remain a strong and impactful attacker.
One more Operator remaster is planned for Year 11.
A new phased onboarding system is coming to help ease new players into Siege:
Bot-only matches
Real teammates vs bots
Beginner PvP matchmaking
This approach is designed to reduce early frustration and help players learn the game more smoothly.
Mousetrap bans are now active
Improved chat detection now better recognizes positive behavior
Helpful communication contributes to Reputation Standing
Player feedback continues to directly shape updates like Ranked 3.0 and rotation changes, especially though seasonal surveys.
This update focuses on making Siege more balanced, more accessible for new players, and more aligned with the community wants, while keeping the competitive experience strong.
These updates are part of a broader effort to protect players and strengthen Rainbow Six Siege in Year 11. For full details and developer insights, watch the Community Checkpoint #2 livestream replay and hear directly from our teams.
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